Apparatus for continuously weighing aggregate



March 3, 19 53 R. M. CARRIER, JR, E'TAL APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY WEIIGBING AGGREGATE Filed may '15. 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 a n a MAURICE G. WH/TLEY March3,l953 R. M.' CARRIER, JR'., 'ETAL 2,630,312

- APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY WEIGHING AGGREGATE Filed Ray 15. 1947 G 2 SW1 2 Roam) M CARR/ER, J/z MAURICE 6. WHITLEY Patented Mar. 3,1953

g 7' mm r sir-on no; issue M- h fi i mqlem X 1 7 Robert M- Aumrarl lq and Mau icellGrwhitiemi-heuisville. signers, to Carrier leh eyorafihmomflon, Leuisriil K! a some:

ration of Kentucky 2 Quins. lessee-em i "This invention reletes' improvements in en g apparatus for continuously weighing aggregate ,andl moreflparticularlyto an improved apparatus :foreontinuouslyweighing aggregateas it: is being conveyed from one point to. another.

' Aniobject of this invention 185150 'provide an iml-a proved means for weighing aggregate as it isbein conveyed upwardly to anw'elevat d Proeessing stage. I l v e 2 1 important object oitthisinvention isto pro- "video aoeontinuousweighing .deyice thhiiisreadily adaptable totheautomatic control of the 2519M" fe dlot aiiiquid or otherlmeterial in proportion itmthe variation in weight of the msterielzhein supplied' toythe device,

Another objeet of this invention apparatus by whichtheweieh ot'a sreeete hen- 1 .med er ;unit,;time maybereedilme trolleds even though theeggregateavarieskas to unit weishl aor t e Afurther object otrthis inventienis-to provid apneretusathrough wh eh thedxischersei ew set may be maintained substehtie ohsteht Y AAstillfurtherobieet.ofath s invent onistom vide, apparatus adapted resdilyyi dica euwe ;reteiet whiehmete ieliis -...isehersd vand indieetethe hote for any time nerihd- Another and iurtherohiect; thieihvehiiou. is to provide appar tus 1: 11 son- 4 v weighin "asz-reeeteiniwhiehtorouemrosiueeo.byherivine "mechanism does not ihte ie e with -eeehr ey f' 7 t weighing,

In accordance with he sehheiieatufis erth I invention there is =r ov ed eyomhounted n1 e d.

eludin .e sealer, nweieht oi; the .cohv yor, r V theoontehts oi home -emi ter. 1 5981 4 1 1 v w Astili .hir ln wieeture oi hishlvehtien resis s mill? :nrovisioo of weis hm? may have either a, 11. r .v drivehzihom en outside-so x hh herfee ure eft nventiohr sides ht ehenismend QBl he pro sio his p si ioning her secured to the-sum pe t s ru tureof the eohvev mhdww on i Weep-117911 h fi he hteeahseclby t ethtquesi --veie ei b tside'p wer means, When-sugh a .meshsisused,- l v b the bJfiQES;iiifi ilhfesi hmlfifiwh se o thi 1 in e oh w libeceme eppere onne m hei is. 'to provide.-

Figure 1- is a side elevational view of the weighingapparatus of thisinvention;

Figure 2'is a sectional view taken substantially -on line II?II of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated-by the arrows;

Figure 3 is a. side elevational view similar to Figure 1 but showing a. modified drive mechanismg' Figure 4 is asideelevational view partly broken away of a second modification of the weighing apparatus of this invention;

. Figure 5 isle, side elevational view, part1y broken I away, of a modified form of the weighing apparatus of this invention; 7

Figure 6 is a sideelevational view, partlybroken awayend partly inseetiomof the weighing apparatus of Figure 5; and

Figure 7' is a fragmentary side elevationaliview or a modification of the weighing apparatus. of

, Figure 5.

-. "In. apreferred embodiment of the weighin appa matus of invention illustrated in. Figures 1 generally indicated by numeral 1 in tha the weight of theconv or, its siri i met [the scale 14. isediusted to .reesi zero when t. gveyor is unleaded... Therseiter, ree ih on ehdithecqhtents oi the cenveyerere hd a ed o ascale 1.4 by downward movement of t downwardly movable part A theregi. ope etion,

the scale will indicate th we ght (31 the materi .in the conveyor.

The rotery'eonvevor in inc udes tw fl 7 similar sid plate l and 1 enelqs d b perip erel member 15, su t ihlysecu d there o by welding A plurality 9f bla es bh helve I9 are secured, as by welding, between the sidepletes i'fiend J1 one the per pheral member T s shelves a esleh ed to pro ide pohhets h h mete iel is ashed upwer yesthe conveyor ro- 1 ihx emembe hieh her is ef eetive o l mine states eouhtereloekwis e view d in igure v the mater a i h a s he p or th th slo e f, th Shelf il cause t metha ol o s id outq the p e ts nd into a convenient discharge chute. in rotat ng he .cqn eyorwheel a u :theh eil pm ed'by a spide o spok con- :stru n .20 which is uitablv seeured at the 9111 61 slight f ehkes to annular side lat s l6 an 11am; whie eent el b arin Per l-9h .e e ed t Jo rna the ax e 12 the e n- .it iseieeiure efthisi ention h theentire nsig t to: the conver e? .aiidfeiiints isindiqaea ing'on the scale l4 drive means --ll.

' thereis no component'of force in the vertical direction.

welded for supp on the scale M. This is accomplished by means of a rigid frame structure 2| which includes a platform 22 extending horizontally above the conveyor wheel and having a recessed portion 22a in its "lower side to permit theiupper end 'ofthe conveyor to pass therethroughm Depending from the platform 22 are four rod members 25, two on either side of the conveyor. These rods support 815"? 1 pair of channels 23 and 24 to whicharesecured bearing members 26 and 21, adapted to'r'eeeive the." axle l2.

The platform 22 is suspended fromjthe'supr' port structure [3, that isfrom the lever -'mecha-' nism thereof which comprises apair 'o'f cr'oss'-= arms 28 and 29' by means of rigid arms 30 and 3| and pivotable links 32 and 3 3. Each v of the cross arms 28 and 29 has its outer end secured by pivotable links 34 to a rigid angle member 35 and has its inner end pivotally con- -:nected toxthescale I41 by means of a link 36.

It is to be noted that the'resisting, forcerejquiredof the-scale,.-which isconnected at the inner"end: of thej'arms 28 and -29'may-.be, considerably less than the force exerted bythe .weight oftheplatform structure and'the conveyor, since thisweight is attached much closer to the-fulcrum point. However, the reading on the scale will always be in direct proportion to the weight of the entire conveyor and support structure and therefore the dial on the scale can be cali- "..b'rated' to read-directly in .pounds of weight of the contents of the conveyor.

Means for rotating the conveyoris chain and sprocket drive 31.;

- In the embodiment shownin Figures 1. and 2, the conveyor 10 is arranged to receive aggregate supplied by 4 an electric motor ll securedon the platform 22" and adapted to 'drive theaxle [2 by means of a plate l6, has cut out portions 4lb for positioning over the spoke. For purposes of illustration the cut out portions 4Ib are shown with a space between the rim 4| and the spokes. However,

must fitsec'urely around the spokes .to prevent loss of aggregate at this point.

To put the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in operation, ,the dial reading of the scale 14 is '{set to zero "after all weight of the conveyor and the support mechanism is mounted thereon, to

fi'adjust for.'the tare; The motor II is set in motion fordrivingthe conveyor l0 and aggregate I is dircted'to the pockets of the rotary conveyor 'by'means of the inlet chute 38. The aggregate is most conveniently brought to the inlet chute 38 from a substantially constant source of aggre- "g'ate such as a supply or storage bin. As the material is deposited-in the pockets of the rotary wheel and the wheel .isrotated counterclockwise it .will be-fmoved, upwardly. along one sideof'the'wheel'andlwhen it gets nearthe top, the slant of-the shelves l9is such that. the :ma-

terial will slide therefrom into the discharge 'chute 39 and be directed to a suitable work-platform. T It is to be noted that the weight indicated on the scale at any instance is the weight of the aggregate actually contained on .the conveyor. If then 301' th supply of aggregate to the rotary conveyor was stopped at any instant, and the conveyor was rvolved one revolution the Weight of aggregate conveyed in that revolution would be the amount indicated on the scale at the beginning of the revolution; Therefore, it isseen that the weight recorded on the scale multiplied by the revolutions per minute of 'thewheel 'will give the total weight of aggregate discharge per'minute.

at one side of the conveyor from an inlet chute -38 and to discharge itfrom itsother ;side"into a chute 39. These chutes 38 .and '39imay be it-will be seen that However, due to the fact that this is a'counterclockwise rotation and that the lower side of the chain isin a slack condition there is no vertical component of force created by this tight upper chain. The line of pull of the tight upper chain 1 I is parallel to the resistingi force createdby the bar 5!, therefore, with a counter-clockwise -direction of rotation of thechain there is no-vertical component of the force due to external drive means ll.

The applicants have found that by arranging the mechanism as disclosed in Figure 3 andoperf ating 'theconveyor with no load there will be absolutely no change in the recording or readdue to the operation of the 1' This clearly indicates that It is of'course evident that the chute '38 can- "aggregate'upon the inlet chute "3 8 anddirect itthrough the spokes'intov the pocketsgof the ilconveyor. "Thisfrim, which may be' (ionveriiently ort' to the inner end or the side For practical commercial purposes it willbe most convenient'to rotate the conveyor at a.

' fixed speed. The scale-will then be calibrated to recordinweight per unit time, as tons per hourgthe-amount of: material discharged corresponding to thisfixed speed.

it It is of course manifest: thatthe weight 'actually in the wheel'atany-one' time can be easily regulated by controlling the supply of aggregate t0 the illleflchlit 38L- ThllS the unit weight aggregatetO-theWheeI.-

'- Conversely; it willbe appreciated that any of theaggregate varies, the dischargein' pounds per '-'minute-'m'ay be kept substantially constant by either increasing or decreasing the flow of variation in' the'weig ht Offmaterials'uppIied" to the "wheel will 'be indicat'ed by thescale. -This affords an advantageous arrangement whereby the weight of an admixture may be automatically varied by-a mechanism controlled from the scale according to theweight of the materialsupplied. Thus, the desired-predetermined percentage of admixture may beheld constant'for variations in the'weig'ht of material supplied.

' 'weighing'apparatus of *this -invention. In this a V In Figure 3 -is sho'wn 'a" modification of "the modification the structurefis exactly the same as that of Figure l with the exception that-the motor'll'is now mounted on an outside support p means 50 instead o f'being mounted on the platnot project through the rotating spokes; Therea I fore, there is provided anannular rimmember 4| ,"which has a slanted side 4Ia adapted'to receive form 22; The motor-again drives the rotary conveyor 10 through a chain and sprocketldrive {31 inpa" counter clockwise direction; As isseen in Figure 3,"in" rotating counter-clockwisethe effective pull on the chain is in a j substantially horizontal'direction and this "pull; would cause an inaccuracy in the weight recordedomthe will be understoodjz that'ygthese portions 4lb V scale; compensate". m nus horizontal pull '-there is provided a positioning "bar 51 "which is -pivotally'secured at oneend-to a rigid support 52 and at the other end to'a substantially horizontal cross support member 53 which extends underneath the conveyor and is supported by a plurality of downwardly extending-arms 54 which'depend from the angle members 23 and 24.

There provided, therefore, in the modification shownin Figure 3, a rotary conveyor which may be driven from an outsidepower source and whichiris-arranged so that the torque produced by this outside power source .-willnot afiectthe accuracy of the iweight-recorded-on the scale. In Figui'e 4 is shown asecondmodification of the weighing apparatus of Figure l. 'Inthis apparatus the drive for the conveyor; is prof'vided by a splineshaft-ifi-connected between "two universal members 51 and 58. 'I'his type of drive also will cause an inaccuracyin the weight recorded on thescaledueto ;.the torque produced by the drive means and again this torque is counteracted by a bar 5| which is secured to a horizontal cross member 53 supportedby rods 54 exactly as in the modification illustrated inl igure 3. 1 V

In Figure 4 is also shown an inlet chute 38 'dispos'e d'on the same side as the outlet chute 39. "In'this case the-rim member 4| which is used in Figure-1 to direct the materi al between ment'oftheweighing apparatus of thisinvention. As best seen in Figure 6, a rotary conveyor 60, including side plates BI and 62, and a peripheral enclosing member 63 and a plurality of shelves disposed between the side plates and the peripheral members, is supported between three rollers a, 10b and 100 for rotation inside two. cover members 66 and 61 which have a substantially angular cross section. Each roller has two outwardly projecting trunnion pins II which are disposed in bearing members 12, rigidly secured at three substantially equiangular positions on the periphery of the casings 66 and chute 93 and is'received at the upper end in a discharge chute 94. a

This type of conveyor wheel, "which is' thus mounted on the trunnion pins, does away with the need of a'central axle and provides a convenient installation for many typesof operation.

' -In' Figure7is shown'a modification of the embodiment of Figure 5. #This modification shows an externally mountedmotor 95 which is adapted 10;

to drivethe trunnion mounted wheel- 60. In-this case any sideway' pull due to the torque of the 9 motor 95 will be compensated for by stopmember 5Q which abuts the rim of the wheel.

It will," of course, be understood that various details of construction'may be varied over a wide 5 range without departing from the principles of i this invention, and it isv therefore not the purpose tolimit-thepatent granted hereon other'than as necessitated by the scope of the appended claims. I

' wWe claim as-our invention:

1. A weighing device comprising a supporting structura -a scale on said structure including a substantially vertically movable part which moves vertically inproportion to the downward force site sides of'said part and operatively connected in the middle to said part, a frame suspended from said lever mechanism so as to be centered under said part, a conveyor" wheel carried by 61. The rollersare thus adapted to contact the outer surface of the rotaryconveyor 60 and to drive it frictionally through one of the rollers 10b which is driven through a suitable chain and sprocket arrangement 16 from a motor 15 mounted in inverted position across the lower end of the casings 66- and 61. l The whole conveyor structure is supported from a pair of horizontal crossv bars 80 by means of chains 8| which are pivotally secured at the upper end to the cross bars 80 and at the opposite end to supportpins 82 secured in the casings :66 and 61, as clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6. As in the apparatus of Figure 1, the total weight of the conveyor and contents is recorded on a scale 81, the vertically movable apart 81A of which is secured at the inner end of the lever mechanism comprising said frame for rotation about a substantially horizontal center axisdis-posed substantially vertic'ally below'said part, said wheel being formed with"radially inwardly open pockets therearound,

power means for rotating said wheel about such axis, means for supplying material which is to be conveyed upwardly into the pockets around the lower portion of said wheel during rotation of the latter, and means to receive the material from the pockets around the upper portion of said wheel during rotation of the latter, the weight of the material thus conveyed in the pockets of said wheel being effective through said frame and said lever mechanism to move said movable part downwardly whereby said scale indicates the weight of the conveyed material in the pockets of said wheel.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said power means is mounted on said frame.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said fram comprises an annular ring provided with circumferentially spaced guide rollers for said conveyor wheel, and said power means is mounted on said ring and is operative to drive one of said v rollers to thus rotate said wheel.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for supplying material and said means to receive the material are each fixedly mounted on port structure, a lever mechanism having a pivotal connection to said support structure, a conveyor and frame therefor entirely suspended from said lever mechanism, and a scale having a part movable vertically in proportion to the downward force thereon and connected to said,

lever mechanism for thus indicating the weight of said conveyor and thematerial therein, said conveyor comprising a drive shaft journalled in said frame, a wheel mounted for rotation with said drive shaft, fixedly mounted means, for

driving said wheel including a sprocket and chain drive connected to said drive shaft and a substantially horizontal bar pivotally secured at one end to said frame and at the other end to a rigid structure to counteract the torque anism comprising a weighing scale adapted to be fixedly supported and having a part'vertically movable inlproportion to the downward force'thereon, a frame pendulously connected to said part of said scale and carried thereby, a

conveyor wheel rotatably journaled in said frame about a horizontal axis, drive means adapted to be fixedly supported and having-a flexible driving connection with said wheel to continuously rotate same, said wheel being formed with peripheral material receiving receptacles successively upwardly and downwardly open as said wheel rotates to respectively receive and elevate selected quantities of a conveyable material in the receptacles when upwardly open and V to discharge the material therefrom when downwardly open, an inlet and an outlet for said conveyor wheel fixedly mounted relative to said frame and spaced apart vertically from each other and arranged to cooperate with said receptacles as said wheel rotates and a bar adapted to be pivotally connected to a rigid support,

:38 at one-end and pivotally connected to said frame at the other end, said bar arranged to counteract torque forces imparted to said frame by said drive means, theweight of the material thus elevated in the receptacles of said wheel being reflective through said frame to actuate said weighing scale. 7 V I 1 vROBERT M. CARRIER, JR.

MAURICE G. WHITLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record-in the --file--of--this patent:

15 "I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 706,565 James Aug. 12, 1902 945,636 Svenson Jan. 4, 1910 1,034,013 Hebden July 30, 1912 20 1,093,673 v Wilson Apr. 21, 1914 v -1',186,218 Merrick June 6, 1916 1,615,485 Rees Jan. 25, 1927 1,617,301 Reddick et a1 Feb. 8, 1927 1,717,564 Ihlefeldt June 18, 1929 25, 1,729,414 Biehler Sept. 24, 1929 1,755,154 Smith et al.- Apr. 15, 1930 1,971,807 Bates et a1 Aug. 28, 1934 2,219,863 Cronk Oct. 29, 1940 2,227,067 Cronk Dec. 31, 1940 30- 2,232,431 Bilocq Feb. 18, 1941 2,427,190 Bradley et a1. 1 Sept. 9,1947

' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain July 11, 1929 

